Harveer Gulia

Harveer Singh Gulia (1376 - 1398) was a Jat hero of the Gulia Clan from the village Badli; district Rohtak in Haryana, India. He was 22 years old when fought war with Timur. He was a strong and brave warrior.

Attack of Timur

In 1398 AD Timur made a ferocious attack on India with 92,000 horsemen. On receiving the news of Timur's total and open looting and destruction, in Vikram Samvat 1455 (1398 AD), kartick badi 5, Raja Devpala (who was born in the village of Nirpradha, District Meerut in a Jat family), who was in charge of the of the Haryana SarvKhap Panchayat, called a Mahapanchayat in the jungles in the middle of the villages of Tikri, Doghat, and Daha. The chief committee passed the following resolutions: Dr Natthan Singh, Uttar Bharat ke Jaton ki Shasan Vyavastha, page 222]

* All villages would be emptied.
* The elders and women, and children would be taken to safe places
* All able-bodied men would join the army of the SarvKhap
* The young women would also take up arms like the men.
* The army of Timur, which was advancing from Delhi to Haridwar, would be fought with Guerilla warfare, and the water in his way would be poisoned.
* 500 young horsemen would follow Timur and report his whereabouts to the SarvKhap army.

The Panchayat Army

The Panchayat Army: Under the flag of the panchayat, 80,000 warrior soldiers (Mulls) and 40,000 young women joined together. These heroes also handled all the arrangements of the war material. From hundreds of miles around Delhi Heroic warriors came to the battlefield ready to sacrifice their lives. All the young men and women took up arms. Dharampal Dev a Jat warrior, who was 95 years old, played a great part in gathering together this army. He traveled day and night on horseback to encourage men and women and gather the army. His brother Karan Pal helped arrange money, grain, and clothing for the army. The choosing of the Supreme General, the deputy general and the other generals. In this endeavor of the SarvKhap, the hero warrior Jograj Singh Gujar was chosen Supreme General. He was of the Clan Khubar Parmar, and hailed from a village near Haridwar called Kunja. The general chosen from among the heroic maidens were

* Rampiari Gujar,
* Hardai Jat,
* DeviKaur Rajput,
* Chandro Brahmin, and
* Ramdai Tyagi.

All of them took a vow to lay down their lives in defence of their nation. Two Deputy Generals were chosen -

* Dhula Bhangi (Valmiki),
* Harbir Singh Gulia Jat,

Dhula Bhangi was a resident of the Village of Hansi, near Hissar. He was a strong and powerful brave warrior. The second deputy general was Harveer Singh Jat, of the Gulia Clan. He was from the village Badli, district Rohtak I Haryana. He was 22 years old. He weighed 53 Dharis (approx. 160 kilograms). He was strong and brave warrior. The names of the generals were

* Gaje Singh Jat Gatwala,
* Tuhiram Rajput,
* Nedha Rawa,
* Sarju Brahmin,
* Umra Taga (Tyagi), and
* Durjanpal Ahir.

The deputy generals chosen were
* Kundan Jat,
* Dhari Gadariya, who was a Dhari,
* Bhondhu Saini,
* Hulla Nai (barber),
* Bhana Julaha (dhanak)
* Aman Singh Pundir, Rajput
* Nathu Pardar, Rajput
* Dhulla (Dhandi) Jat, who would lead raids from Hissar, to Dadri, to Multan.
* Mamchand Gujar
* Phalwa Kahaar.

Assistant generals, 20 assistant's generals were chosen from the various jatis (castes). The hero Bard: the Eminent Scholar Poet Chandrabhutt (Bhat) as chosen as the official Bard. He wrote an eyewitness account of the war with Timur.

ome excerpts of Jograj Singh's speech

"Viroh (Heroes), reflect on the sermon given by Lord Krishna to Arjun in the Gita. For us the door to heaven (moksha) has been opened. That moksha, which the Rishi Munis achieve by doing Yoga, the hero warriors achieve by sacrificing their lives on the battlefield. Save the nation, that is- sacrifice yourselves, the world will honor you. You have chosen me leader. To my last breath I will not withdraw. I salute the Panchayat, and take oath that until my last breath I will defend the soil of Bharat. Our nation has been shaken by the crimes and attacks of Timur. Warriors arise and do not delay. Fight the enemy army and throw them out of the nation."

On hearing this speech a wave of heroism ran through the assembly. 80, 000 warriors and 40,000 maiden warriors kissed their swords and took an oath, ' O General, while we breathe we will obey your orders, and sacrifice our lives for our country'. The Troops. - The Panchayat Army, spread out from Delhi, to Meerut, Muzzafarnagar, Sahranpur, and Haridwar. On reaching these places they tangled with the armies of Timur, and using Guerilla warfare, they did not them sit still. The enemy army had to escape by the route of the hills and the enemy was chased up to Ambala, and expelled out from the land of Haryana.

The battle of Delhi

At the time that Timur was looting Delhi, and putting the population to the sword 20,000 warriors of the Panchayat army, made a surprise attack on the 52,000 strong army of Timur in the middle of the night, and killed 9,000 of them, and let their corpses be swept away in the river Yamuna. As soon as dawn came these heroic soldiers of the Panchayat returned to outside the city walls. The battle carried on like this for three days. Timur Lung got frustrated, left Delhi and advanced toward Meerut.

The battle of Meerut

Timur, with his numerous and powerful army, with much weaponry, advanced towards Meerut. In this land, Timur's army was given no space to breathe. The battles continued all through the day. Wherever the Army of Timur would stop for the night, the Panchayat army would attack, and uproot them. The heroic Devis (goddesses- women) would deliver food and war material to their soldiers wherever they were. The warrior maidens would attack and loot the supplies of the enemy. The 500 horsemen were doing their duty by keeping everyone together and bearing information. As supplies were not reaching them, the army of Timur started to go hungry. Whichever village came in its path would be destroyed. Becoming frustrated Timur advanced towards Haridwar.

The battle of Haridwar

Beyond Meerut, to Muzzafarnagar and Saharanpur, the Panchayat armies fought fiercely with Timur and did not let his army take hold (grip). The Supreme General, the Deputy Generals and the Generals were handling their armies well. The army of Timur reached Tuglakpur- Pathrigarh, which is 15 km south of Haridwar. In this land the army of the Panchayat fought three major battles with the army of Timur.

Harveer Singh Gulia attacked Timur

The Deputy Commander Harveer Singh Gulia, along with 25,000 warriors of the Panchayat army, made a fierce attack on a big group of Timur's horsemen, and a fierce battle ensued where arrows and spears were used (There over 2, 000 hill archers joined the Panchayat Army. One arrow pierced Timur's hand. Timur was in the army of horsemen. Harveer Singh Gulia charged ahead like a lion, and hit Timur on his chest with a spear, and he was about to fall under his horse, when his commander Khijra, saved him and separated him from the horse. Dr Natthan Singh,"Jat-Itihas", (Jat History), Jat Samaj Kalyan Parishad, F-13, Dr Rajendra Prasad Colony, Tansen marg, Gwalior, M.P, India 474 002 2004 page-137] (Timur eventually died from this wound when he reached Samarkhand). The spearmen and swordsmen of the enemy leapt on the Harveer Singh Gulia, and he fainted from the wounds he received and fell. At that very time, the Supreme Commander Jograj Singh Gujar, with 22,000 Mulls (warriors) attacked the enemy and killed 5000 horsemen. Jograj Singh himself with his own hands lifted the unconscious Harveer Singh Gulia and brought him to the camp. But a few hours later, the hero warrior Harveer Singh achieved martyrdom.

References

* [http://www.jatland.com/forums/showthread.php?p=104546&posted=1#post104546 Article on Jatland]